Posted on 07/08/2005 5:23:13 PM PDT by SierraWasp
U.S. pleased with G8 climate outcome
Blair continues to push U.S. but looks past Kyoto
By Stephanie I. Cohen, MarketWatch Last Update: 6:52 PM ET July 8, 2005
WASHINGTON (MarketWatch) -- President Bush's top environmental adviser said Friday that the Group of Eight nations reached a milestone on climate change this week by moving past discussions of mandatory emissions reductions.
In a move seen as a victory for the Bush administration, the leaders attending the meeting in Gleneagles, Scotland, adopted a statement on climate change that acknowledged greenhouse gases are warming the Earth's surfaces, but steered clear of agreeing to any binding actions to cut emissions.
"This will be the first time in four years that we have found a way to strike common ground," said James Connaughton, the chairman of President Bush's Council on Environmental Quality, speaking at an event in Washington, D.C.
Connaughton added that he felt the world's leaders had finally shown a willingness to move beyond discussions on the United Nations' Kyoto protocol, which set binding targets to bring the level of greenhouse gases created by industrialized nations down to 1990 levels by 2015.
Greenhouse gases -- primarily carbon dioxide -- are suspected of trapping heat in the atmosphere and contributing to the world's gradually warming climate, a change that is said to threaten weather patterns, agriculture and the polar caps.
The United States, the world's biggest producer of greenhouse gases, is the only member of the Group of Eight nations that did not ratify the Kyoto Protocol.
America has resisted intense pressure in recent years from other industrialized nations to agree to the international framework, arguing that market-driven solutions and technology will be more successful in fighting pollution.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair acknowledged Friday that he is prepared to look past Kyoto and toward new climate-change negotiations that involve the United States.
Britain served as the host for the summit, which focused on debt relief for Africa and climate-change issues.
"We have to put in place a pathway to a new dialogue when Kyoto expires in 2012," Blair said, speaking at a press conference.
He admitted that the Kyoto Protocol was not part of the discussions in Scotland, but also expressed some disappointment that the group has been unable to bring the United States on board.
"I tell you my fear on climate change. ... If it is impossible to bring America into the consensus on tackling the issue of climate change, we will never ensure that the huge emerging economies -- particularly those of China and India [that] are going to consume more energy than any other part of the world -- we will never ensure that they are part of the dialogue," Blair said.
Stephanie I. Cohen is a reporter for MarketWatch based in Washington.
The biggest "unmitigated gaul" would be Jock Chiroc, of course!!!
As I said on another thread, hardly a victory when you've conceded to their major unfounded argument, namely that global warming is due, even in part, to human activity.
If the Gauls are restless again, better let Julius know --- right away.
Suspected by chicken little junk scientists everywhere.
Hello. I am an environmentalist and I was put in cryogenic suspended animation in 1975. Now, after thirty years asleep, I have been re-animated. So tell me: Has global cooling destroyed the earth yet as I and all my environmentalist friends predicted it would? Thank you.
LOL!
"Unmitigated gaul"? First of all, you should capitalize the proper name of a place; second, I think Gaul is more than "mitigated" by the presence of George W. Bush. Finally, it's called "France" by most people these days.
And that makes it true? Apparently!
If they said that the moon was made of green cheese would that make it true? Yes it would!
I can see great possibilities here!
Yep! Just like that Gonzales dude saying the Constitution is what the Supremes say it is, right? Phhhhhht!!!
"I tell you my fear on climate change. ... If it is impossible to bring America into the consensus on tackling the issue of climate change, we will never ensure that the huge emerging economies -- particularly those of China and India [that] are going to consume more energy than any other part of the world -- we will never ensure that they are part of the dialogue," Blair said.Can you say UNOCAL? You didn't think they were planning on selling us any of that UNOCAL oil did you?
Actually, europe (and Canada) has finally figured out the price tag for Koyoto and were desperately looking for an out. Dubya graciously gave them one.
The US is not the world's biggest producer of greenhouse gases.
The US is a net absorber of CO2. Air leaving the US has a third less CO2 than when it comes over. Put another way, we absorb all our own emissions and a third of everyone elses.
This is old news from Nature published in November 1998.
The europeans are EXSTATIC they got the USA to admit that global warming is happening and that humans are causing it.
There are on the British TV (per cspan) jumping for joy. They see this as a way to reboot Kyoto when Kyoto I expires.
The eurotrash sees this as a baby step to containing the USA on enviro (ending private property) issues.
The San Jaquin Valley's air is 40% cleaner than it was in the early 1970's, but that NEVER qualifies as news or for an "atta boy" to local business and governments struggling to attract new enterprise!!!
But by golly... We gots an EnvironMental GANG-GREEN Governator that's right in there with 'em bangin the drum for more regulation and swearin to the Born Again Pagans that you can beat up on businesses and entrepreneurs and they'll still thrive like they weren't feelin a danged thing!!!
He's NUTS!!! He's just as nuts as DAVIS was!!! And he more dangerous because he's wearin an "R!"
I know... They're totally orgasmic, kinda like Phil Donahue used to get about Gorbachov, thus Rush coined the term GORBASM! Ha ha haaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!
What's goin on with northern Italy? I thought that was the Alpine area of that nation!
And I'll second that emotion!
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